1. School Climate and the CCRPI
Marilyn Watson
Program Manager,
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
Jeff Hodges
Program Specialist,
Safe and Drug-Free Schools

2. What is School Climate?

3. We can all remember childhood moments when we felt particularly safe (or unsafe) in school.
We can all remember when we felt particularly connected to a caring adult (or frighteningly alone) in school.
We can all remember when we felt particularly engaged in meaningful learning (or not).

4. Student engagement in school Positive social skills development
Research has demonstrated that a positive school climate is associated with:
Academic achievement
Student engagement in school
Positive social skills development
Studies show that there is a significant difference in student achievement between schools with a good school climate and those with a poor school climate.

5. What is School Climate?
“School Climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School Climate is based on patterns of students’, parents’, and school personnel’s experience of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal interactions, teaching and learning practices and organizational structures.” -National School Climate Center

6. What Does That Mean?
Students: If students do not feel safe at school, do not feel welcomed at school, are not treated with respect, and are not given opportunities to learn, mature and grow, they will not meet their academic potential or learn positive social lessons. Schools: If the school climate is not positive, students will underperform, student attendance and student discipline are not likely to improve, school safety could be compromised, and teacher retention may be negatively affected.

7. Four Dimensions of School Climate
Safety: referring to the physical and emotional safety of students and the rules and procedures in place to ensure student safety;
Relationships / Engagement: student social support from educators and parents, the level of respect students have for others, school and community engaged, and student and parental leadership;
Teaching and Learning: a positive and professional student- teacher-school relationship, social and emotional skills training, civic education, and positive support for learning; and
Institutional Environment: the physical environment of the school.
Source: National School Climate Center

8. How Do We Measure School Climate?

9. Measuring School Climate in Georgia
Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0
Surveys questions revised in October 2014 (formerly GSHS II)
Administered annually to students in grades 6-12
Grades 3-5 added in school year
Georgia School Personnel Survey (GSPS)
Administered annually to teachers, staff and administrators
Georgia Parent Survey
Administered annually to parents online
School Climate Star Rating
Part of Georgia’s new accountability system – College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI)

10. Georgia is one of the first states with a defined method in the collection and analysis of school climate data through the implementation of the Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0.
The GSHS 2.0 is an anonymous, statewide survey instrument developed by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Public Health and Georgia State University.  The GSHS 2.0 identifies safety and health issues that can have a negative impact on student achievement and school climate. 

11. The GSHS 2.0 is offered at no cost and provides Georgia public school districts (and private schools that wish to participate) with a measurement system for several categories:   school connectedness, peer and adult social support, school climate and safety, alcohol and drug use, parent involvement, mental health, bullying and harassment, sense of safety and well-being, etc.
121 questions on middle & high school surveys
11 questions on elementary survey
School systems are given a URL address to participate in the GSHS 2.0 online.

12. Student Alcohol / Drug Use Patterns (middle and high school surveys only)
Use of alcohol/drugs in past 30 days
Where students use alcohol or tobacco (home, school, friend’s house, etc.)
Age of onset (age of first use)
Perception of risk or harm (do students think it’s harmful to use alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, etc.?)
Social disapproval (My friends and parents would disapprove if I used alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, etc.)

13. School Climate, Risk & Protective Factors (middle and high school surveys only)
School Connectedness - likes school, looks forward to going to school, etc.
Social Support – gets along well with other students/staff, has friends, treated with respect, etc.
Cultural Acceptance – students show respect for others regardless of race, ethnicity, culture and academic ability, etc.

14. School Climate, Risk & Protective Factors (middle and high school surveys only)
Social/Civic Learning- treats others fairly, open towards different opinions, shows courtesy to others, etc.
Physical Environment – school building is well maintained, classrooms are clean and organized, etc.

15. School Climate, Risk & Protective Factors (middle and high school surveys only)
School Safety – feels safe at school, concerned about physical safety, students fight a lot, etc.
Peer Victimization – bullied or threatened by other students, cyberbullying, etc.
Parent Involvement – parents think education is important, parents help with homework, etc.
Mental Health – seriously considered or attempted suicide, self-harm, etc.

16. 2013-2014: 895,000+ students took the Survey
The Survey is administered annually from October – March.
Baseline data was collected in the fall of 2007.
: 350,000+ students took the Survey
: 657,000+ students took the Survey
: 895,000+ students took the Survey

17. Survey results are available at the school, district and state levels. 
Survey results are made public and are posted on the GaDOE webpage at
Each school and school district that participates in the Survey receives a comprehensive report that allows school administrators and other staff members to compare outcomes and plan prevention and intervention strategies and programs. 

18. What does the GSHS 2.0 data tell us?

19. Survey Results
15% of students have been bullied by other students in the past 30 days.
31% of students have been picked on or teased at school in the past 30 days.
24% of students do not feel safe at school.
23% of students have thought about dropping out of school.

20. Survey Results
26% of students do not know an adult at school that they can talk to if they need help.
12% of students have been offered, sold or given illegal drugs on school property in the past 12 months.
3% of students have brought a weapon to school in the past 30 days.

21. Survey Results
10% of students have harmed themselves on purpose in the past 12 months.
9% of students have seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months.
5% of students have attempted suicide in the last year.
6% of students do not feel safe at home.

22. Survey Data Analysis GaDOE Partnership with Georgia State University

23. GaDOE & Georgia State University
GaDOE working with the Center for School Safety, School Climate and Classroom Management at Georgia State University
Conducted Factor Analysis on survey questions to look at clustering of items which measure the same construct
Statistically linked eleven (11) questions to the direct measurement of macro school climate
Other survey questions are important to identifying micro school climate

24. Identified Survey Questions Assessing School Climate:
School Climate #1: “I Like School”
School Climate #2: “I Feel Successful at School”
School Climate #3: “I feel my school has high standards for achievement”
School Climate #4: “My School Sets Clear Rules for Behavior”
School Climate #5: “I know what to do if there is an emergency at my school”
School Climate #6: “Teachers treat me with respect”
School Climate #7: “The behaviors in the classroom allow the teacher to teach so I can learn”
School Climate #8: “Students are frequently recognized for their good behavior”
School Climate #9: “I feel my school counselor would be helpful if I needed assistance”
School Climate #10: “I get along with other students and adults”
School Climate #11: “School is a place at which I feel safe”

25. Academic Impact of School Climate
GaDOE analyzed the impact of changes in school climate on CRCT and End of Course Test performance
Used school-level data from
Results
Significant impact on mathematics performance
3x as large as any other subject
1% increase in school climate increased scale scores between 3% and 16%
Teacher and administrator experience did not impact the development of school climate
Local type (i.e. Urban, Suburban, or Rural) did not impact school climate

26. School Climate and Behavioral Outcomes
School Climate significantly impacts student behavioral outcomes
1% increase in School Climate is estimated to decrease discipline actions per pupil by 1.35%
School Climate increases student attendance
1% increase in School Climate is estimated to increases average daily attendance by 1.60%
School Climate decreases suspension days per pupil
Effect constant across both middle and high schools

27. Factors Impacting School Climate
Student and teacher demographics do not appear to significantly impact the development of positive school climate.
School climate is a product of intrinsic motivation and personal actions of teacher and leaders.
Conclusion
Impacting the climate of a school is within the control of the school.

28. School Climate and the CCRPI

29. The College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI)
ESEA Flexibility under NCLB
CCRPI is Georgia’s new accountability system replacing AYP
Incentivizes student performance across a number of academic and behavioral areas.
Student attendance, student discipline, school climate, and substance abuse/violent incidents will be included within the reporting document.

30. The CCRPI

31. Georgia Law & School Climate
State law (O.C.G.A. § ) requires the development and use of a “star rating” to address school climate and financial efficiency.

32. O.C.G.A. §
(c) Performance on the indicators of quality of learning, financial efficiency, school climate, and any other indicators the office adopts shall be compared to state standards, progress on improved student achievement, and comparable performance…. School climate determinations may utilize data from student health surveys, data on environmental and behavior indicators, data on student behavioral and school-based reactions, and teacher and parent survey instruments. Financial efficiency and school climate shall have one of the following star ratings based upon the factors included in this subsection, as further defined by rules and regulations of the office:

33. O.C.G.A. §
Star Ratings
(1) "5-star" schools ranked excellent according to the state determined financial efficiency or school climate index, as appropriate; (2) "4-star" schools ranked above average according to the state determined financial efficiency or school climate index, as appropriate; (3) "3-star" schools ranked average according to the state determined financial efficiency or school climate index, as appropriate;

34. O.C.G.A. §
Star Ratings
(4) "2-star" schools ranked below satisfactory according to the state determined financial efficiency or school climate index, as appropriate; or (5) "1-star" schools ranked unsatisfactory according to the state determined financial efficiency or school climate index, as appropriate.

35. Schoolwide Attendance Safe and Substance-Free Learning Environment
School Climate Star Rating Components
25%
25%
25%
25%
School Climate
(Student, Staff and Parent Surveys)
Student Discipline
(Student Discipline Data / Weighted Suspension Rate)
Schoolwide Attendance
(Attendance data for students, teachers, staff and administrators)
Safe and Substance-Free Learning Environment
(Ratio of drugs, alcohol, bullying, & dangerous incidents)
School Climate Star Rating (Scale 1-5: Negative to Positive)

36. School Climate Component
Student Responses – Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0
75% Participation Required for each grade level (3 -12)
Personnel Responses – Georgia School Personnel Survey
75% Participation Required for Teachers/Administrators/Certified Staff but all staff members are encouraged to participate
Parent Responses – Parent Survey (new for )
No participation requirement for parents
School-wide Agreement
Variance between composite answers of students, teachers, and parents

37. Student Discipline Component
Weighted Suspension Rate
Maximum value for each student – each student counted once
Suspension Weights:
Any # of ISS: pts.
1 – 2 OSS: pts.
3 – 4 OSS: pts.
5 – 9 OSS pts.
10+ OSS: pts.
Alternative School Assignment 6.00 pts.
(for disciplinary reasons only)
Expulsion pts.
Scores will be on a 0 – 100 scale
Schools receiving a negative student discipline output will be recoded to 0.
Impact Data: Statewide Average is 81.52

38. Alternative School Assignment: 6.00 pts. Expulsion: 7.00 pts.
Any # of ISS: pts.
1 – 2 OSS: pts.
3 – 4 OSS: pts.
5 - 9 OSS: pts.
10+ OSS: pts.
Alternative School Assignment: 6.00 pts.
Expulsion: pts.
Student ID
# of ISS
# of OSS
Alternative Schools Assignment
Expulsion
Final Student Suspension Weight
Student 1 No
Student 2 2 1
Student 3 4
Yes 6
Student 4 5 7
Student 5
0.5

39. Student Discipline Component

40. Safe and Substance-Free Learning Environment Component
% of discipline incidents that are not violent incidents using student discipline data
% of discipline incidents that are not drug/alcohol related incidents using student discipline data
% of students not abusing substances (i.e. illegal drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, etc.) using GSHS II data
% of students not experiencing bullying or harassment using GSHS II data
Scores will be on a 0 – 100 scale
Schools receiving a negative student discipline output will be recoded to 0.
Impact Data: Statewide Average is 95.23

41. Schoolwide Attendance Component
Average Daily Attendance Rate of Students
All students will be included (student record data)
Average Daily Attendance Rate of Teachers (Contract Days)
Includes those who have a job code designated as a teacher (CPI data)
Removes individuals who have more than 30 days of total leave (vacation leave not included)
Average Daily Attendance Rate of Administrators (Contract Days)
Includes those who have a job code designated as an administrator (CPI data)
Average Daily Attendance Rate of Staff (Contract Days)
Includes those who have a job code designated as staff (CPI data)

42. Additional Considerations
Unsafe School Choice Option (USCO)
Schools designated as “persistently dangerous” with three consecutive years of USCO incidents will lose two stars on School Climate Star Rating.
Schools with two consecutive years of USCO incidents will lose one star on School Climate Star Rating.

43. Additional Considerations
Disciplinary Disproportionality
Examines the risk of being suspended between students of minority demographics (all non-majority demographics aggregated into one group) compared to the remaining majority demographic.
Group size = 15 // Incident size = 5
Disproportionate at 5x the risk for minority demographic group
Risk will decrease 0.25 per year until it reaches 3x where it will remain
Need two (2) consecutive years per subgroup for disproportionality “penalty”
Suspension risk includes: OSS, Expulsion, and Assignment to Alternative Schools

44. Additional Considerations
Research/Evidence-based Programs/Practices
Schools can earn additional points on their School Climate Star Rating if they are implementing an evidence/research-based program or practice with fidelity.
Schools can also earn additional points on their CCRPI score through an “Exceeding the Bar” indicator for interventions and practices designed to facilitate a “personalized climate” in the school for all grade levels.
Example includes but is not limited to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

45. QUESTIONS?? Marilyn Watson: mawatson@doe.k12.ga.us
Jeff Hodges: